C#mmaj9

C#mMaj9 is C#, E, G#, B# and D#, a minor major ninth. The shape this page opens on is written x41110, lowest string first.

Also written C#mM9, C#m(maj9) or C#-Δ9. The same chord either way; which spelling you meet depends on who wrote the chart.

There are 8 common shapes for C#mMaj9 on the guitar, and 28 derived voicings in 4 families.

The common shapes, written lowest string first: x41110, x42540, x46540, 476544, 97x898, 9-7-10-8-x-x, 9-11-10-9-9-11, 11-11-11-13-13-12.

Shell. Root, third and seventh: the guide tones fix the quality, so the fifth is dropped. That is what leaves a string free, so pick a tension to put on top. C#mMaj9 has x4254x, 9-7-10-8-x-x, x-x-11-9-13-11.

Drop 2. A close-position chord with the second voice from the top lowered an octave. Sits on four adjacent strings. C#mMaj9 has 0415xx, xx1520, x4254x, 9-7-10-8-x-x, x-x-11-9-13-11, x-6-10-6-5-x, x-x-10-8-5-9.

Drop 3. The third voice from the top lowered an octave. The dropped voice becomes the bass, which is why a string is skipped. C#mMaj9 has 0x152x, x4x540, x6x658, 11-x-11-9-13-x, 9-x-10-8-5-x.

Rootless. The root left to the bass player. Frees a finger for a tension. C#mMaj9 has xx1110, x6655x, x-x-10-9-9-11, x-x-13-13-13-12, x3214x, x3x140, xx2544, x6x554.

Tensions. A shell of C#mMaj9, root, third and seventh, leaves a string free, and the tones that belong over it are the 11 (F#) and the 13 (A#).

The common shapes and the derived voicings come from different places, and both are explained in where the chords and the theory come from.